by another_jim on Tue Feb 23, 2010 11:40 pm
What was fun in this brewing round is that there were four kinds of roast, and the top four finishers were the best in each category. To my taste, they put a little daylight between themselves and the runners up in each type of roast.
The first category was a light roast combo of the Maravilla filled out with the Haile Selassie; there were three entries using this idea. This combo has the Central American snappy acidity combined with a sweet finish, while the Sidamo adds a twist of floral aromas. I thought Ed's roast was the best example. On average, the entries in this category scored highest
The second category was a straight roast of the Sidamo (Yrg DP or Haile). Here you are looking for a fruit and flower bomb. Henry's roast was the best at maxing out on the aromas while avoiding the astringent, tannic finishes that can plague Yrgs and Sidamos.
The third category was a wide spectrum blend, adding a bit of the Sumatra and Brazil to the Hue-hue and Sidamo. My attempt was in this class, but it wasn't the best. Casey Blanche's roast had more pop in the flavor and acidity than mine, along with the same wide range of taste and plush creamy body. There were two more in this group that were good, but too laid back for cupping. The group as whole would have done better being slowly savored rather than tested with soup spoons.
The fourth category were darker roasts. Some people look down on these; but a dark roast is by far the most difficult thing to do well -- go too fast, and the excess heat will char the beans, go too slow and the taste is flat and astringent. David's roast was extraordinary, with lots of the caramel/molasses sweetness and complexity that makes a good dark roast so seductive. In this type of scoring, a dark roast will always drop a few points on acidity compared to lighter roasts, so the fourth place finish is, if anything, an underestimation.
